Target game



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,935

A. L. cox

TARGET GAME Filed Dec. 14, 1925 IIHI - F INVENTOR LEL Andrew L. 004

I BY

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

.rrs stares Annnnw L. cox, or nnn'ron, wasnrneron.

TARGET GAME.

Application fil ed December 14, 1925. Serial No. 75,271.

he object of this invention is to produce 'a target game apparatus which may be played by any desired number of opponents requiring enough of dexterity to render the same interesting to people of all ages.

tion on line 3-3 of Fig.2. Fig. & is a view similar toFig. 3 with the operative parts i between said end walls, as

shown in different positions than represented in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of a portion of the rotary target device shown to a larger scale than in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral represents, generally,the housing structure of the apparatus, said structure comprising side walls 11, end walls 12and 12 a bottom 13 and a door 14 which inclines upwardly shown in Fig. 2. Rigidly secured to the bottom is a foot bear ing 15 for a substantially vertical spindle 16 which is also journaled in a bearing 17 provided in the housing floor 14:.

Loosely mounted upon the spindle 16 for individual rotation is a drum 18 provided at its upper end with ratchet teeth 18 which are engaged by a pawl 19 carried by a collar 20 which is rigidly mounted on sald spindle. 'lhe pawl 19 and the ratchet teeth of the drum are arranged to permit the latterrotating independently of the spindle none d1- rection and imparting rotary motion to the spindle when the drum is turned in the other direction;

22 represents a relatively weak sprlng which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, has one of its ends secured to the end wall 12 and its other end connected to cable 21 which passes, in a number of coils, about the drum 18, thence, as a lead 21, to a pulley 23 and, after passing about the latter, has a lead 21 whose extremity is connected to the end of a spring 2 1. of greater power than the aforesaid spring.

The other end of the spring 24 is connected, as shown, to the housingend wall 12 and is thereby adapted to act in o-pposi tion to the spring 22 which is connected to the wall 12. l I

Elie pulley 23 above referred to s carried by a knob 25 provided upon anend of a rod 26 extending from a plunger 27 operating in a gun barrel 28 which is disposed longitudinally of the housing at one end of the latter and at about its mid-width. Said barrel, or gun as it will be hereinafter designated, 18 inclined in such relation to the housingfloor that the globular projectile, or marble, 29 rolls by gravitation down the floor from the end wall 12 into the gun muzzle to follow the plunger as the latter is retracted by a player.

30 represent guide strips diverging from the gun muzzle above the floor to direct the marble after the successive shots back into the gun.

Secured to the upper end of the spindle 16 above the floor14; is a spoked wheel 31, having the adjacent spokes connected by rods 32 and 33 which are disposed in spaced apart positions radially of the wheel axis, and arranged somewhat circumferentially of the wheel. Pivotally connected to each of the rods 32, as best shown in Fig. 5', is a plate which is folded to provide a target element 34 and an arm 35 disposed in diverging relation with each other as shown and depending from the supporting rod 32. v

A target is normally held in a substantially vertical plane by gravitation subject to astop 36 provided upon a bracket 37 to engage with said arm. A bracket 37, one for each target, is provided with a shoulder 38 to receive the arm 35 when the latter 1s swung upwardly into its dotted line position 35 (Fig. 5) when the target is forced baclrwardly into its dotted line position 34: by a projectile which is indicated by 29 in the referred to view.

ill)

A bracket, preferably of spring metal, is

supported upon the respective rod 33, one end ofthe bracket being engaged, at at 39, against'the underside of the wheel hub, the other end being bent and folded upon itself to provide downwardly and upwardly extending portions 40 and 41, respectively, formed and arranged as shown in Fig. 5 to provide the stop 36 and the shoulder 38' above referred to. The bracket portion t]. provided with the shoulder 38, is movable radially inwardly of the wheel for the pur pose of releasing the arm 35 to permit the target 34 to return from its dotted line position to the position in which it is represented by full lines in Fig. 5.

To facilitate the above mentioned inward all movement of the arm 41, the same is extended upwardly to afford a thumb engaging portion above said shoulder.

Located in the path of a projectile expelled from the gun is a block 43 having an upper surface 43 which is inclined to a greater extent than the floor 14, said block surface serving to elevate the striking plane of the projectile with respect to the targets.

In operation, a projectile as 29, Fig. 2, upon the floor H rolls down the same into the muzzle of the gun 28 to follow the plunger 27 to the end of the retractile stroke of the plunger which is effected by the operator pulling back upon the knob 25.

Asthe knob is thus drawn back it carries therewith the pulley 23 which acts through the medium of the cable lead 21 to extend the spring 24, and also acts through the medium of the cable lead 21 ratchet drum 18 and pawl 19 to impart rotary movement to the spindle and its wheel 31.

The inertia of the wheel, however, sup- .ple'mented by the power of the weaker spring 22 serves to cause the stronger spring 24 to reach its maximum extension, see Fig. 4. by the time the plunger reaches the end of its rearward movement. In such setting of the plunger, so to speak, the length of the spring 22' has been increased to but a small extent, see Fig. 4. The wheel is rotated with but a small turning movement of the drum, the momentum thus given the wheel causes the same to revolubly carry the targets through the range of the gun. Vhen the targets are thus affected, theplayer should quickly release the knob 25 to permit the spring 24 to exercise its power to cause the plunger to shoot the projetcile at the targets with sufficient force to drive a target into a position whereat the target-arm will engage upon the shoulder 38 of the associated bracket as indicated, for example, by dotted lines in Fig. 5.

Should the player hesitate in releasing the plunger,-the spring .24 contracts thereby expending its power (which should be utilized for expelling the projectile) for extending the weaker spring 22 as indicated by dotted lilies 22 in Fig. 3. i

From the foregoing it is to be noted that the player cannot delay his shot until the maximum rotation of the wheel is appreciably reduced, as in such an event the spring 24 becomes unavailable to expel the projectile, and the spring 22 is of unsullicient strength to do so.

The weight ot' the wheel and the targets carried thereby is such that the inertia of the same will ensure rotation thereof subsequent to the return of the spring 24- to its inoperative position.

\Vhile I have explained the preferred embodiment of my invention specifically, I do not wish to be understood to limit myself thereto except as limited by the scope of the following claims.

lVhat I claim, is,

1. A target game comprising a rotary spindle, a wheel rigid therewith, a series of targets disposed circumterentially of the wheel, said targets being swingahle radially of the wheel, a gun barrel, a plunger operable within said barrel, two springs of unequal power, and a cable operatively con necting said springs with the plunger and also with said spindle whereby the retraction of the plunger ell'ects the extension of the stronger of said springs and also the rotution of thespindle and the wheel to revolve the targets, the stronger of said springs serving to provide power to actuate the plunger for delivering a projectile from the gun barrel, the weaker spring serving to take up the slack of said cable and all'ord contractile movement to the stronger spring.

2. In a target game as defined in claim 1, wherein the connection between the cable and'the wheel spindle consists of a cable receiving drmn mounted upon the spindle for independent rotary movemenhand a ratchetand-pawl connection between the drum and the spindle whereby reciprocatory movements of the drum will drive the wheel and the targets in a single rotary direction.

3. In a target game having rotary wheel. a series of targets suspended from the wheel and adapted to be swung toward the wheel axis when a target is struck by a projectile, a gun barrel and a plunger for delivering a projectile from the gun barrel at the targets. and spring operated cable for transmitting power to said wheel and also to said plunger for actuating the same.

Signed at Seattle, \Vashinglon, this 25th day of November, 1925.

ANDREW L. COX. 

